This invention relates, in general to fluid delivery systems, and more particularly to an ultrapure fluid delivery system.
Fluid delivery systems are found in a variety of industries including electronics, medical, food, and beverage. Generally, these systems have employed replaceable glass bottle fluid reservoirs and pumping mechanisms to deliver the fluid from the reservoir to a nozzle. Inherent in these fluid transport regimes is the introduction of contaminants during fluid reservoir replacement. As an example, reservoir replacement entails disconnecting the fluid delivery lines, thereby opening the fluid delivery system to contamination by particulates and air bubbles. Further, the pumping mechanism and fluids themselves are sources of particulates, hence filters may be included in the system. Changing the filters, pumps or any component in the system serves as a means for contaminant entry into the system. In addition, the construction of the nozzles through which the fluid is dispensed promotes the drying and subsequent flaking of the fluid; in a photoresist delivery system these flakes would contaminate the photoresist deposited on a wafer. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a fluid delivery system, such as a photoresist dispenser for use in manufacturing semiconductor products, that does not introduce contaminants into the fluid being delivered.